Where to eat: New York's Little Italy

WHERE TO EAT

Torrisi Italian Specialties, 250 Mulberry St., (212) 965-0955 http://www.piginahat.com, serves sandwiches during the day and more formal fare at night, when hordes of prospective diners compete for a table. Put your name in at 5:30 p.m. and hope you get a table by the end of the night.

Just down the block is Rubirosa, 235 Mulberry St., (212) 965-0500, serving up Staten Island-inspired Italian American fare such as thin-crust pizzas and hearty gnocchi dishes.

There's no sign outside subterranean Mulberry Project, 149 Mulberry St.; (646) 448-4536, http://www.mulberryproject.com. Just look for the red door and push. Small plates such as tuna crudo and crispy pork belly are washed down with bespoke cocktails.